


Tomorrow is another day and other lies

by Fipsi19



Series: The day after [3]
Category: Fantastic Four (Movieverse), The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Darcy the shipper, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Humor, Love, M/M, alternative universe, meddling from others
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-18 06:53:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2339177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fipsi19/pseuds/Fipsi19





	1. Chapter 1

Once again New York City was attacked by some evil maniac who thought he could go against the Avengers. While the heros went to save the day four women, a man and an AI were in lock down, for their own safety, in the tower.

„I am bored. I didn´t come to NYC to be in lockdown!“ one female complained. „Let´s do something fun, Lyra. Jane and Pepper won´t stop working and you are the only fun one here. Don´t take offence JARVIS or Happy.“ 

„None taken, Miss Lewis“ came the quick reply whereas Happy only nodded.

„Alright, what do you want to do? Play some games, watch movies or gossip?“

„I knew why I am friends with you. Gossip! So what´s new in Avenger´s mansion?“

Lyra raised one eyebrow. 

„Yeah, you know like Playboy Mansion. C´mon, you live with Tony Stark, self declared playboy.“ This caused a chuckle from both Lyra and Pepper, and a grinning Happy. „Tell the juicy stuff!“ 

„I am really sorry to disappoint but there is no juicy stuff, Darcy.“ 

„Bugger, but what about you and hot hotter Johnny? Heard rumors of an illicit love affair against all superspies?“ 

This caused Lyra to burst in laughter. „Please never tell that to Johnny. He would love it as would Clint, secretly of course!“ 

„I don´t think he wouldn´t show his amusement up front, darling“ a voice from another room said. 

„You are probably right, Pepper. But no, no secret illicit superspie love affair, Darcy, once again I have to disappoint you. And don´t you dare contratict me, JARVIS.“ 

"Of course not, I won´t breathe a word of your star crossed love affair.“ She only shook her head at the AI. 

„So, you never thought about tapping that ass?“ Laughter echoed through the room. 

Before Lyra could deny any of it, Johnny Storm sauntered into the room. „I know my ass is worth tapping it, but nobody present has taken me up on my offer!“ he exclaimed laughing, winking at Darcy, waving at the rest of the group before making himself some coffee. 

„Shouldn´t you be fighting to save New York?“ 

„Battle is over, we won! Time to celebrate!“

„Then you should be at the briefing!“

Johnny made a face. „Briefings are boring. Stark and Reed will be arguing, Rogers doodles, the Widow will glare at me, Dr Banner and my sister will try to calm Reed and Stark down, while Barton looks like a love sick thirteen year old girl at Coulson causing everyone to roll their eyes. “ 

Laughing Lyra shook her head. 

 

Darcy observed the interaction between the two. She came to the conclusion that the Human Torch did try a little too hard to make Lyra laugh, which made him smile forlornly at her in return. 

´Not being more than friends, my ass` she thought.

„With the lockdown over, we could go out for lunch“ Darcy suggested. While Jane and Pepper agreed to the lunch idea, Lyra denied it saying she already had plans. Johnny looked a little taken aback after Pepper´s question about her plans and Lyra´s revelation that she had a date, not exposing the identity of her mysterious date. Not that Johnny didn´t pester her. 

 

Darcy looked in expectation to Johnny who agreed to have lunch with the three lovely ladies and a handsome man, winking at them causing Jane to giggle and Happy to roll his eyes.

The group of five was just about to leave the tower as JARVIS announced the arrival of the other superheroes. Johnny looked at his lunch dates and told them that he would meet them at the restaurant, before escaping laughing via the balcony. 

 

Susan Storm was the first one to exit the elevator, asking for her brother. JARVIS expressed his regrets about informing her that her brother had already left. Darcy and the other three walked past Susan into the elevator wishing her a nice day. At the lobby they greeted the others and made their way to the restaurant.

 

Darcy intended to interrogate Johnny about his relationship with Lyra and his true intent behind it, but was blocked all the time with Johnny flirting with everyone, even Happy, at the table. He made them all smile and seemed to really enjoy himself. Darcy soon realised that he was much sneakier than she originally thought and came to the conclusion that her plan needed work to be sucessful. 

The lunch was cut short by a phone call for Pepper from Tony complaining about Reed, not that it surprised anyone. Pepper excused herself leaving Johnny, Jane and Darcy behind, who promptly looked over the desert menu. Happy followed Pepper, ever the bodyguard he was. 

 

While Darcy was still looking for the perfect desert, chocolate cake or cheese cake difficult decision, Johnny suggested ice cream from this little shop he knew, promising them that it was the best ice cream in whole city.

With Pepper and Happy joining their group once again, they decided to try the ice cream and followed Johnny out of the restaurant. He began elaborating about the taste explosion the ice cream would give them, then he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. The women and Happy couldn´t help but ran into him, as they weren´t expecting him to stop walking. 

They looked around in expectation of the ice cream shop, when they saw him staring at the other side of the street where Lyra was standing close to each other, holding hands, with one Harry Osborn, smiling at him, being chased by the paparazzi.

Darcy looked at him, understanding in her eyes, before he turned around to them. 

„I am sorry, just thought I saw someone I knew. The shop is right around the corner, I tell you you won´t regret it.“ he said in a fake cheery voice, not looking at them. 

They followed him, not talking about what they just witnessed. 

After finishing it, they invited him back to the tower, which he politly declined arguing that Coulson probably wanted his head on a stick for missing another briefing.

 

Back at the tower they were met with Harry and Lyra laying seperatly on the two couches in the comunal living room, watching something on the tv. Both looked up when they heard them entering.

„Where is Johnny?“ Lyra asked.

Jane was about to say something when Pepper cut her off. 

„He didn´t want to meet Phil in fear of getting in trouble for missing another briefing.“ 

„Sounds like him, so how was lunch?“

„Great, and your date?“ Darcy retaliated.

„We had fun, didn´t we? Oh and before I forget Harry and me are together.“ she said in a bored tone.

„Lovely, how happy you are about it, darling.“ Harry said in an equaly bored tone

. „You feel my love, babe!“ Lyra replied laughing.

Jane looked at Darcy mouthing Babe at her, Darcy just shrugged. They left the living room, leaving the new couple on their own. 

 

Dinner that evening was an interessting affair, as the Avengers were a little taken aback by the whole situation. They watched their interaction warily, not quite believing the whole situation. 

The only people talking during dinner were Lyra and Harry, who bickered over the smallest things, while the Avengers and Jane, Pepper, Happy and Darcy just stared at them except for Phil who tried to find the reason for their sudden behavior. Tasha wasn´t staring either, just looking bored as ever.

After finishing, Lyra dragged Harry away from the table to show him out, muttering under her breath about how insuspicious they all were. 

 

With them gone, the table burst with voices and questions. Tony being the loudest, asked the question which was on everyones mind.

„What the hell? I thought the rich boy was mooning over this Peter boy? Doesn´t he always look at him love sick when they are both here?“ 

The others nodded.

„Maybe we were wrong and they are really only friends!“ Steve exclaimed.

„Friends who want to fuck each other“Tony replied earning a shocked „Tony“ from Steve.

„Yeah but it´s true, Stevie. And what about firebird and their star crossed love affair?“ Tony asked, earning a raised eyebrow from Phil. 

„Oh, c´mon Agent Agent you can´t say you didn´t notice their innocent love struck stares at each other?“ 

Nonchalantly Phil looked at him. „No, I did notice but star crossed, really Stark?“ 

Tony shrugged. „It´s catchy, sue me“ 

„It doesn´t really matter, though we all agree that something is definitly fishy about it, right?“ Clint concluded, earning nods from everyone.

 

The next two days were even more, for a lack of a better word, exciting than normally. For one the Tower was surrounded by various members of the media waiting to catch a glimpse of the new couple, making life thusly miserable for everyone who tried to leave or enter the Tower. 

Tony finally managed to ban them from the grounds, but the media still was close enough to bother everyone. The second day the tower was under atttack from a very pissed of Gwen Stacy who had a very loud converstion with Lyra, who mostly stayed silent. 

Nobody at the tower had the decency to at least pretend not to listen and they were surprised to learn that Lyra didn´t say one word in her defence. After Gwen had finished her yelling, Lyra spoke up and led her to some more privacy away from the tower. 

Although Tony voted for following the girls, the Avengers stayed behind, hoping for the best. Lyra didn´t say a word when she came back from her discussion, driving Tony mad.

 

The following days were quieter, with the exception that Harry, Gwen and Lyra spent more time with each other. Just once Peter joined them, but the mood was heavy and the boy, as Tony described the situation, looked always near breaking out in tears. 

Bruce said that Harry didn´t look much better but nobody listen to him as Tony had another possible epithany about the situation, creating a scenario where in the teenager were comploting against superheroes, trying to be new supervillains, wanting to bring the Avengers down and Peter was against the idea, so he was left out. 

After this elaborated explanation, everybody looked like him like he had gone mad.

Phil did not check the information he had about the teenagers because of Tony´s crazy mind. It was just coincidental that he happened to open them. Better save than sorry.

 

Most surprising nothing major changed between Lyra and Johnny, or so it seemed. He still came around and watched movies with her, though he left the moment Harry appeared, leaving the both for themselves. He had more dates, presenting the media with a new girl every few days, fighting with the Oscorp heir for the media presence, or so it seemed.

 

The relationship between Lyra and her boyfriend was still a mystery for the tower, fthe main mystery being that nobody knew for sure if they were the real deal, as Tony called it. 

They bickered a lot, riling each other up about silly stuff only to break down laughing. When watching movies together, they only shared a couch if necessary, although Steve claimed that they might be considered of the others. Clint added that Lyra was a Coulson after all, and that they weren´t big on PDA causing everyone to discuss his marriage with Phil and their lack of PDA. Bruce tried to bring their discussion back to the topic of Lyra, claiming that in open public, ouside the tower, both teenager were always seen holding hands, embracing each other, thus destroying the PDA theory.

Darcy, who had left New York with Jane few days ago, wanted daily updates to the situation, hoping to come to a conclusion about the situation as well. 

 

Two weeks passed and the Tower was slowely used to the new couple, treating them a little more normal. 

Harry and Lyra spent most of their time together and even the media stopped following them the whole time. Gwen on the other hand, could convince Peter to spend more time with them. Strangely enough, the boys were left to their own device as the two girls went shopping together or studying for their finals. 

Thor didn´t mind them, for they, especially Peter, presented him with a new challenge in the various video games. Tony lamented about their ever present at the tower after loosing to them in Mario Kart, wondering what they were doing in the tower when Lyra was clearly absent. 

 

Johnny stopped missing the briefings in favor of visiting Lyra after he came by and was met by the image of Lyra and Harry watching some movie, laughing together. To his own horror he wasn´t quick enough to get out without being noticed and was roped into watching with them. When the Avengers came back to the Tower they were greeted with a strange vision. Johnny sitting as far as possible away from Harry and Lyra, who seemed to cuddle. Storm looked both extremly uncomfortable and relieved as they entered the living room, nearly running Phil over with his wish to brief him right away, anywhere but the living room. As Phil was dragged away by Storm, Lyra got up and left the tower in favor for some fresh air, being followed by Harry. 

Being gone for over an hour she came back alone, in a tense mood. At being asked for the absence of Harry she snapped and muttered something about an arguement. Surprisingly Peter came by that evening to console her, telling her that whatever happened couldn´t be that bad and wanted her to forgive Harry. Lyra felt bad about that and gave in, not answering his questions about the arguement but to make peace with Harry.

 

The following day Gwen, Harry and Lyra were seen arguing with each other in the kitchen. Tony swore he heard something about a plan destrying someone´s life being said. JARVIS didn´t say anything about that just told his maker that he shouldn´t worry. Tony didn´t find that consoling at all and muttered somtehing about the three laws of every robot and that Asimov was right. 

 

Disaster struck a week after and again media was to blame. 

The night before Harry was invited to some fundraiser and Lyra went with him as his plus one. It was a big event and most of the high society of New York was present, with Tony representing the Avengers and Stark Ind. Accompanied by Pepper. The media was in turmoil to get a picture of the alleged Stark heir with her family and the boyfriend, which Lyra denied, keeping her distance from Tony and any media.

Harry and her danced a few times before both decided to leave the party early, using their status as seniors at school as plausable excuse.

 

Everyone should not have been surprised at the media presence she got the next day. Nearly every newspaper and tabloid had a picture of her and Harry in it, dancing closely together, laughing with each other. 

An article wrote about how both of them left early to enjoy the night to find some place more intimate, as a insider told them.

Another article had a picture of her and Harry dancing, with her laughing at something Harry said and Harry looking „love struck“ at her, as the writer called it and went on about true love at such young age. 

Her favorite article was the one about her and Harry being seen kissing each other passionatly in the garden by another insider who swore that she could already hear wedding bells. 

 

Poor Tony was pestered by a somewhat charged Steve who wanted to know why he didn´t keep an eye on her. Tony only spluttered earning himself an I-am-so-dissapointed-look from Steve. 

Pepper came to his defense explaining that she watched out for them and that the media shamelessly exaggerated. The others stayed thankfully silent as she entered the kitchen. 

Lyra told them to not believing anything that was written when JARVIS announced the arrival of Harry, who sauntered into the kitchen.

„Good morning, my beautiful fiancé!“ he greeted her smiling, kissing her on her cheeks.

„Looks like I get rich after all!“ she replied laughing. 

„Oh honey,sorry to burst your bubble, you have to sign a prenup before our wedding!“ 

„So you don´t trust me?“

„It´s not about trust but money!“ he noted, still smiling. „Anyways, ready for school?“

„Ready as ever, see you guys later!“ Lyra exclaimed following Harry out of the kitchen.

 

Thor, who only entered the kitchen shortly after Lyra left, boomed in excitement over the news congratulating Phil and Clint 

„Such a happy occasion, my fellow companions! We have to have a celebration with the finest mead of Asgard to celebrate it! Jane informed me that matrimony is a very special occasion on Midgard too!“ 

Bruce only shook his head. „Thor, nobody will get married here, it is a hoax from the papers!“ he tried to explain. 

„But, it is written there, that our dear Lyra will marry her special friend, right after the part about their joyous night together, although I wasn´t aware that Midgardians tend to announce such private matters!“ Thor boomed, not understanding the situation at all.

Tony sniggered at the mention of the joyous night, earning a clap on his head from Pepper. Phil sighed

„Thor, buddy, nobody will get married here and there was no...night together. It is all just a misunderstanding, just like the thing with Tony and Lyra!“ Clint tried his best to make Thor understand. 

Tony muttered something about how he wanted to know that there wasn´t a joyous night, earning himself another clap. Phil, who stayed deadly silent the whole time, took a sip from his coffee.

„There will be no wedding and certainly no joyous anything“ he said, getting up leaving the kitchen, followed by a slightly hysteric Clint who talked in a low voice to him.

 

School was horror, for everybody seemed to have read the article and pestered them about a date. Peter was avoiding them the whole day and Gwen only sent them long deadly stares. It didn´t help that Harry only refered to her as his fiancé in front of others, clearly obvious to Peter and didn´t stop doing it no matter what Lyra said. 

At the tower, the others seemed to have believed her and didn´t ask her anything. Only Thor said something about how he was nearly fooled by the article and urged her to play Mario Kart with him, as she was a worthy adversary.

After letting Thor win a few times, she changed places with Steve who was fascinated with the game.


	2. Chapter 2

She walked outside onto the roof only to be met with Johnny. Smiling she walked up to him .

„Hey there, why didn´t you come in? You could have watched me loosing against Thor in Mario Kart!“ 

„I am pretty sure, you could have won against him!“ 

she shrugged. „Maybe, so why didn´t you come in?“ 

„Just clearing my head before coming in, I would have come in eventually, if you wouldn´t have showed up here“ he defended himself.

„Yeah, I know that, no need to get all defensive.“

„I am not defensive“ he snapped at her. 

„Yeah right, what´s your problem? Did you come here to start a fight with me? Because you are doing a good job right now!“ 

Johnny took a breath, taking a step back, facing away from here. „I didn´t come here to fight with you. I read the articles and I am happy for you,really I am.“ 

She looked at him in disbelief. „You don´t really believe them right? You know that I am not really engaged to Harry!“ 

He stiffened a little at the mentioning of Harry, still not looking at her.

„Of course I do know that but still, I am happy for you guys, Harry is a nice and he has.“ 

Lyra cut him off. „If you say money, I will kill you on spot, because I am not friends with him because he is rich. What do you think I am?“ 

He turned around. „No, I know you are not his girlfriend because of the money! But everything went so damn fast, it was like you were only friends and then boom you two were in a happy comitted relationship. At first I thought that maybe...but then you and him cuddled and the pictures and articles...and Peter got even more miserable. I thought I was wrong after all! And I remembered the whole New Year´s..“ Johnny said rapidely.

„Hold on one moment, what did you think?“ Lyra asked, cutting him off. 

He looked at her miserably „Don´t do that, don´t behave like you have no idea. I wasn´t that drunk that night as you tried to tell yourself and neither were you. But I guess you just didn´t care, after all you didn´t care about Peter´s feelings when you started dating Harry, although you knew. And Harry isn´t any better.“ he said cruelly. 

„First of all, you have no idea what you are talking about! And I don´t know what Peter is feeling because he never told me! I can not read anybody´s mind nor do I just know what people are feeling“ she snapped at him.

„Right, because it isn´t clear as day how Peter is feeling about Harry!“ he spat scornfully.

„Oh, so okay maybe I had a feeling that there was going more on than just friendship, but I didn´t know for sure. And for New Year´s you agreed with me, so don´t pull that bullshit on me.“ she huffed. 

Johnny let out a bitter laugh „Yeah like you didn´t ask me, no you practically begged me to agree with your idea. You were relieved that I said yes to safe our friendship, so that I can be at least stay around you. Knowing you didn´t feel more than mere friendship for me and I was okay with that, or at least I thought I was. But I can´t do this, I can´t read about you in the papers fucking your boyfriend and be happy for you about it!“ he yelled at her. 

Lyra took a step back. „I thought you said you didn´t believe the media?“ 

„Guess I lied“ 

She shook her head sadly. „I guess you did! You are right, I can´t expect you to be happy for me when I am clearly whoring myself out.“

„I never said that“ he protested. 

„but I never said anything about you and your endless number of girls, seen leaving your apartment the morning after, but I guess it takes one whore to know another one right? Oh and for your feelings, which I assure you I had no idea until one moment ago, you could have just talked to me! I would have told you that Harry was desperate and needed an alibi and yeah, maybe he wanted to make Peter jealous so that they finally get their act together. I´ve never slept with him, he is my friend who needed some help.“ she finished, glaring at him. 

Johnny took a step in her direction. „Don´t you dare touch me or even say one word! Leave! Go right now, or I swear to God I will let them deal with you, for I can assure you they all listen to our conversation!“ he gave her one last look, opening his mouth to say something, before closing it again. She turned away from him, waiting for him to leave, which he did, not saying another word. 

 

After him leaving, Lyra looked at the skyline forlornly in her thought, willing herself not to break down. She looked after him flying away from the Tower.

A few minutes past and she sat down on the floor, leaning against a wall. Lyra put her arms around her knees, listening to the silence until she heard footsteps approaching her. With a sigh she braced herself for a talk with whoever was walking up to her. Closing her eyes, she waited for the other person to speak, instead she felt someone sitting down next to her. Lyra didn´t turn to see who it was but looked back at the buildings in front of them 

„You know, you need another hiding place if you want nobody to bother you. This is mine.“ 

„I thought the A in the Avenger´s Tower is your place or the vents? That doesn´t really leave many places to choose from.“ she said to the person beside her.

„I guess. So what´s up, buttercup?“ 

She laughed at the stupid phrase. „Don´t tell me Tony didn´t show you the live stream!“ 

She felt Clint shrug beside her. „Just thought you want to tell it yourself. Didn´t really focus on the stream as I had to hold Phil back from storming up. I think he and Tasha are formulating firebirds early demise.“ 

She laughed, humorless. „I did something stupid, Clint, Johnny was right!“ she said brokenly. 

"Aww honey, I am sure that is not the case! I don´t even think he meant what he said. And about Harry, I mean“ he said trying to calm her down.

„Don´t worry, I know Harry is not in love with me and you know that too, if you listened to the footage“ 

Clint relaxed a little, let out a breath he didn´t know he held. „Restraining Phil, didn´t really listen to any of it. I am glad though that I don´t have to give you the `Darling, I think your Boyfriend might be Gay´speech!“ 

„You had a speech?“ She turned to face him.

„Yeah, it was a great speech filled with bees and flowers and other bees.“

Lyra smiled benevolent. „I could still tell it to you, if you want?“ 

„No, thanks the first bees and flowers story was enough for me.“ she answered him laughing. 

„Suit yourself, it is a great story! So, everything alright?“ He asked her, still concerned.

„Everything just peachy, I guess I need to break up with my fake boyfriend, to end our fake relationship so that he and Peter may get their act together and hope Peter will forgive me!“

„What about firebird?“

„We will work it out somehow with loads of ice cream and some rom coms.“ 

Clint didn´t look convinced that that will be the case but didn´t say anything.

„So will you come inside again? Help me persuading Phil and Tasha that their plans are unnecassary? Maybe help Bruce convince Tony that he should leave Reed out of it all?“

Looking at the buildings again, she shrugged. „I don´t really feel like it. I mean, Steve is capable enough to look after all of them, I trust his abilities! And I don´t really wanna listen to Tony´s plans for making Reed miserable.“ 

They stayed at the roof for a while until a loud crash and shocked calls on „Tony“ from Steve were heard. Sighing both stood up, Lyra muttering under her breath how she sometimes thought she lived with kindergarden children instead of superheroes.

 

The next day she met up with Harry, trying to explain to him the situation and convincing him that a break up would be the best for everybody. He accepted her proposal, wanting to know if he should talk to Johnny, which she denied.

 

„So I guess you heard about the break up...Peter is really mad at me and Harry and Gwen too, long story and Harry...he is wallowing in self pity and alcohol. He offered to talk to you but I told him that it wouldn´t be a good idea. You didn´t call or text since our fight and I“ deep breath „ I thought maybe if I called you first to let you know what happened..and ..uh..I don´t know what I thought. I just know I need you right now! I need your advice to help me deal with everything, Harry and Gwen aren´t a real help right now and you know me best, so please call me back!“

 

„It´s me again, I saw you on the news. You were the talk of the hour, being all hero-y - is that even a word hero-y, nevermind. I know you are busy, but maybe, I thought, maybe you could call me?“

 

„I haven´t heard from you for over a week now, anyhow I am on my way to the airport, Pepper invited me to come with her to europe to lighten my mood and as a present for my graduation.   
Don´t worry you didn´t miss much. The celebration was very clichéd...uh.. I think the whole tower was happy that I leave....I will still be reachable under this number, or you can send me an email or whatsapp...oh and I saw you are going out with some cheerleader now, I am sorry about the...you know... I have to go, the plane is about to start, call me okay?“

 

„Bonjour, stranger. I am in Paris right now, looking at the Seine, it is amazing. Pepper is busy most of the time doing business but I don´t mind...it´s a chance to use my french! Happy and me went to Disneyland Paris the other day, you would have loved it! It isn´t like the ones back in the US but it was very french...Happy wasn´t too thrilled I think, though he bought me an eeyeore plushie. I sent you a picture, if you want. Harry called me. He is flying to London and asked if I want to meet up with him in Cannes, they have a house there somewhere. I was supposed to go back to New York tomorrow but maybe I´ll stay. It is nice here and I think I really need a change of scenery right now. I´ve got to go, my ride is here...oh and sorry that it didn´t work out between you and that cheerleader. Call me!“

 

„Heey“giggling“I am not drunk, no sir. I´m with Harry and his house is amazing! It´s soo big. And he has so many nice friends! They are soo nice and fun. Harry makes great parties too, a lot like Tony´s but pssht don´t tell anyone...I miss you, gotta go it seems Harry needs my help!“

 

„I feel horrible, why does nobody warn you of the hangover, I mean everybody says it is bad but not that it feels like dying. Harry, the traitor, is laughing at my misery. Tony called me this morning congratulating me on growing up...I think I did somthing terribly stupid. I should probably call Clint or at least Tasha, maybe they can help my case with Phil. Anyways, we are leaving France for good today and travel to England, to visit some friends of Harry, did you know he knows some artistocrates? No cats though, Talk to you, or at least with your answering machine – is it still called answering machine? soon!“

 

„Peter came today, he said you talked to him, so thank you! He said he tried convincing you to come with him to London, but I understand you are busy with being all hero-y, I like saying hero-y even if it isn´t a word, it should be. He also told me your new girlfriend, a journalist, is really nice and keeps you grounded. Harry laughed at that but I can see you all settled down. I am already over a month in europe. Did New York change a lot? The Avengers miss me, even Tony. Tasha told me that him and Steve plan to rescue me from the evil clutches of the europeans, although I think Steve only goes along with it to keep Tony happy! Harry thinks about staying in London for at least a semester, going to university here. I think Peter will stay too, Gwen was accepted in Oxford anyways and Harry told me he had some connections so it would be no problem for me to stay too. I said I think about it. I have to talk with Phil and Clint about it, but it would be really cool staying here. London is great and has good universities. But it is still summer and I have time until fall to think about it. Maybe I will stay, New York will still be here when I come back, thanks to you and the Avengers, and at least London isn´t attacked constantly! The papers here wrote that you are supposed to be engaged to Molly? Is that her name? I am happy for you really, it is just a little fast and surprising, but hey when you are in..I mean when you know it is the right one nothing can hold you back...gotta go“

 

„Since your supposedly engagement Harry and Peter look at me like I will break at any minute, it is stupid we weren´t even together and you are free to do whatever you want. I mean it isn´t like we were in a relationship and in...or anything, just friends....your fiancé, you have a fiancé now, look at you all grown up, is really beautiful and she seems nice too, a real deal then...oh and I am sorry about Tony and the Reed fiasco, I saw it on youtube, it was pretty funny you must admit that, but please tell your sister I didn´t know anything of it. And the whole getting shot by an arrow I am sorry for that too, Clint promised he meant to shoot the doombot and you got in the way, really I am sorry! I talked to him and he promised me he would be more carefull from now on. He is very sorry about shooting you in your uh behind. Bye“

 

„So I am already two months in europe. We are in Vienna right now, in two days we will fly to Berlin. Vienna is beautiful, real green, loads of parks and old buildings.We went to the zoo and the castle there, it was really nice. Harry wants us to go to Salzburg too, to play a scene out of Sound of Music, haven´t told them yet that I didn´t see the movie...but I guess running around in the alps singing the hills are alive can´t be too hard. Anyways, talk to you soon“

 

„Hello? Who is there?“  
„Hi, I am Lyra, a friend of Johnny.“  
„Oh you are the girl who is constantly calling him. I am Molly, his fiancé.“  
„Hi Molly, is Johnny around?“  
„Sorry, he is out, saving the city. Being a hero. Shall I pass some message to him?“  
„Oh, yeah I guess, could you tell him I called?“  
„Sure, I will pass it on. Anything else?“  
„No, that´s it thank you!“  
„No problem, sweetheart. Can I tell you some advice?“  
„I guess?“  
„If a guy doesn´t call you back, he isn´t interested. And if his fiancé picks up his mobile, you should get the message that he really doesn´t want to talk to you. Stop calling him! Have at least that much self respect!“

 

„This is my last call to you, your fiancé is right, it´s time to face the truth, you don´t want to talk to me...I am sorry, okay? Really sorry, that I messed our friendship up like that and maybe you were right...maybe I lied to myself about the whole drunk kiss thing...at least I am mature enough to have tried to save our friendship or at least what it left of it but it seems it wasn´t worth it after all. I am happy for you and your fiancé...she seemed...alright on the phone. I wish you the best! Oh and I decided against London, I am coming back to New York next week. I missed my family, and Peter and Harry are sickenly in love and I don´t want to feel like the third wheel the whole time. Don´t worry though, New York is big and I am sure we won´t see each other..much at least...we are both adults afterall. I wish you all the best, you deserve it. I guess that means goodbye, for all it´s worth I am sorry!“she took a shaky breath „You know I hate you a little for never picking up or calling back or at least writing one lousy email. We were friends for years and now I am not even worth one single moment of your time? It´s not fair, really it isn´t. You make me sound like a love sick teenager, I hate you for that, that you make me sound so desperate. I don´t want anything from you, just one chance to talk to you...but I guess it was too much to ask for. I won´t call you anymore, won´t text, write an email or letter nothing...I stop, I have come to realise that I made a mistake but so did you and it is not fair how you treat me..Goodbye, have a nice life!“


	3. Chapter 3

Saying goodbye to Harry and Peter was hard. Both wanted her to stay, promising her to behave not like love sick teenagers. She hugged them both and promise to call, write and skype all the time. 

Staying in London lost its appeal and New York was her home. Phil and Clint had conveniently a milk run in London and so she had caught a ride back with them, after spending a few days together in the city. 

Lyra was overjoyed to see them again after more than two months in europe. Although they called each other all the time, they had a lot of catching up to do. Clint warned her that Tony organised a welcome back party for her, whereas Phil noted that Tony only needed a reason to throw another party. 

 

The party itself was nice and very Tony-like. Being back in the US meant for her no alcohol for she was not 21 yet, not that she minded, especially as Darcy and Tony supplied her with cocktails, claiming to everyone else that they were virgin. Her uncle just shook his head and warned her that he wouldn´t hold her hair back if she got sick. Lyra smiled at that and pretended to enjoy the party, drinking the cocktails, which she swaped for real virgins when nobody was looking. 

Steve watched Tony most of the time and Darcy let her know that their UST was worse than anything she had ever endured. Bruce was staying in a corner, far away from the other party guests enjoying some tea while some of the guests looked warily at him. 

Lyra herself let people talk to her about europe, without saying very much. After an hour of polite converstions, Lyra decided to get some fresh air leaving for the balcony of the Tower. Walking outside she noticed a figure in the shadows. Feeling like an intruder she was about to excuse herself, when the person told her that he didn´t mind company. 

That´s how Lyra met the Winter Soldier. 

 

Steve found him during her stay in europe and convinced the others to let him join the Avengers and let him live with them. They others were still wary of him but nobody could say no to Steve, except Tasha. 

 

They both stayed silent, enjoying the view of the balcony until Steve came looking for Bucky, as he called him, urging him to come inside and mix a little with the other guests. Bucky let out a sigh and promised to come inside in a few minutes. Lyra just watched their exchange, telling Steve the same and watched Steve walking inside again looking for Tony. 

 

Bucky looked at her miserably, which made her chuckle in sympathy. 

„You know, he only means the best for you! He wants you to feel accepted!“

He looked at her in understanding. „I take it you know the motherhen Steve?“ 

Lyra laughed, agreeing to it. „Yeah, but the others are just as worse. They mean well, I know that but it can be a little..“

„Suffocating?“ She nodded. „So you are the girl everybody is talking about, the one fleeing to good old europe with a broken heart!“ 

She looked dumbfounded at him. „They said that?“ 

„Not directly, but it was implied. Something about a star crossed love affair ala Romeo and Juliet, just without the dying part!“ he replied. 

„You talked to Darcy“ at his quesioning look she added „the one with the big...what´s a nice word to describe it..“

„Bosom?“ he supplied. 

„Yeah, it´s good enough I was looking for something nicer, but bosom is good enough“ she said laughing.

„She seems a little eccentric, I mean she seems nice but a little..pushy, no sense of boundries?“ 

she nodded. „She can be a little much sometimes, but she is great fun and you get used to her uniqueness quite soon.“ 

he looked doubtful „She suggested that I start a hot and steamy loveaffair with Steve and Tony!“ he exclaimed, clearly embarrassed. 

„Oh my God, please tell me you are joking!“ 

He shook his head at that, blushing slightly muttering „I wish I was“

„Don´t worry I will talk to her“ Lyra said, still laughing.

„I think we should go back inside, I see Steve hoovering near the entrance waiting for us.“ Bucky said, motioning to the entrance where Steve stood, looking at them. 

 

The rest of the party, Lyra spent talking to Bruce watching Bucky trying to escape Darcy and her matchmaking until he joined Lyra and Bruce. Darcy was right behind him, but left them the moment Bruce told her that Steve spoke to some woman. The dark haired girl excused herself to go and fend of the witch who tried to keep her OTP from happening, promising Bucky to be fighting for his love life. Bucky groaned, whereas Lyra and Bruce did their best to hide their amusement.

 

The days after the party were uneventful, for no alien or any other threat to the city attacked. So they spent most of their free time catching up and doing some shopping. Jane and Darcy seemed to have moved to the Tower during their stay in New York. Bucky convinced Lyra to show him the city, which seemed to have changed so much since his childhood there, and help him escape from a scheming Darcy. 

 

Lyra had a lot of free time as she decided to take some time off and start college in spring with Harry and Peter back from London. She didn´t really know what to study anyways.

 

During one of her strolls through the city with Bucky and Cassiopeia, she saw the an opening for a job at a small viennese styled coffeeshop. Bucky encouraged her in applying for it, saying that at least she had an excuse to leave the Tower and wouldn´t feel useless sitting around the whole day doing nothing other than playing with her dog.

 

Surprisingly, she got the job. Bucky and the others visited her often, staying for hours in the shop. The owner didn´t mind, telling them how in love she was with Capt. America in her young years, thanking him and Bucky profusely for their work during WW2, as she was austrian herself and only a small child during the war.

Steve and Bucky were uncomfortable at the beginning, but soon warmed up to her, though she still managed to make Steve blush when she started talking about his handsome figure in his uniform. Darcy tried to convince her to help her get Steve, Tony and Bucky together but the austrian lady just told her, that she would rather have Steve herself, causing Steve to go beet red and Darcy to announce her love for such a great lady.

 

One day Susan Storm accompanied by Richard Reed walked into the shop. Lyra wasn´t really surprised for she was already more than a month in New York and the shop was well known, though not that popular. She knew that it was only a matter of time before she would come across one of the Fantastic Four. Lyra was grateful that none of the Avengers came by the shop that day. 

She told her coworker that she would take a break and fleed into the back of the shop, hoping that the two members of the Fantastic Four didn´t see her. 

 

Unfortunately they or at least one of them did and followed her into the alley behind the shop. 

„I hope you didn´t take your break because of us“ the female voice asked her. 

Shaking her head she turned to her. „Of course not. It is good to see you again, Susan.“ Lyra said, hugging her. 

„You too, honey. So how was europe?“ 

„Great, amazing really.You should go and visit it.“ 

Susan laughed. „I don´t think Richard will ever find enough time for us to do that. How is everyone at the tower?“ 

„Everyone is fine, same as always. And your superheroes?“ 

„Ben is great as is Richard. I am fine too. Johnny is the same as always, you know he broke of his engagement?“ Susan inquired. 

„Harry mentioned it.“ It was an understatement. The media wrote about nothing else for two weeks straight. „I am sorry for him.“ Lyra said, trying sound as honest as possible. 

„Yeah, she wasn´t the right one, just a substitute. You should come by sometime, visit for old times sake.“ Susan suggested.

„I don´t think that is a good idea, Susan. I´ve got to go back to work, please give my regards to the others“ Lyra said apologetically, walking back inside leaving Susan standing outside.

Reed was already gone as she went up to the counter, finishing her shift. 

 

Back at the tower, she didn´t tell anybody about the encounter. She listened to them talking over dinner, watched some movie with Darcy, Jane and Thor, listening Jane and Darcy explaining Thor the plot. After the three excued themselves, leaving her alone in favor of showing Thor some funny cat videos on youtube. Going to bed was out of the question as she wasn´t tired and it was still early, so she went up to the roof.

 

Phil was finishing some paperwork while Clint was sparring with Tasha, leaving Lyra alone with her thoughts. She looked at the New York skyline watching the sun set, when she heard the telltale sound of Johnny arriving. 

Without turning back, she began speaking

„Can it be true? The Human Torch visiting me on this humble roof, to what do I owe this honour?“ 

„Lyra“ 

„Oh he can talk! After months of silence he speaks“ 

„Lyra, please, listen!“ he begged. 

„No, you can´t come here now, expecting me to listen to you after you...after you ignored me for months. I needed a friend, I needed my best friend and you just left me alone to deal with the mess. So no, I won´t listen.“ She said angrily, still not looking at him. 

„I broke my engagement off“ 

Silence. 

„Susan said you worked at a coffeeshop.“ 

Still no reaction. 

„I have a scar where your crazy father shot me in my ass“ T

his caused Lyra to grin, still not turning to face him but relaxing a little. He took it as a small victory. „Do you know why I broke my engagement off? She liked Frozen better than Tangled or Wreck it Ralph. Though that´s not the only reason.“ 

She huffed a laugh. „You always had a terrible taste in women. Tangled was far better than Frozen. Still can´t believe the hype around Frozen.“ she stated. 

„I know, I mean really, it wasn´t that good. She also didn´t like The Fox and The Hound.“ 

Lyra turned around. „Stupid bitch, that´s one really sad classic. You cry everytime. What did you see in her?“ 

He shrugged. „She had a great body!“ he stated grinning.

„I bet she did but it doesn´t explain the engagement!“ Lyra noted.

„Yeah, that was a stupid move. So are we all good?“ he asked hopefully. 

„Why? Just because you were engaged to the bitch from hell I should have mercy and forgive you? No!“ she spat furious.

„Was worth a shot, I guess. Look for all it´s worth I am sorry, I was a stupid inmature asshole and should have called you back or at least sent a text. But it´s too late now, so let´s forget it and move on!“ 

She looked at him in disbelief. „You don´t get it do you? You ignored me after you told me that you liked me more than a friend and left me to deal with a hell of a mess on my own. Okay, I grant you that you talked to Peter about Harry, but that was it. You knew, why we did what we did and you forgave Harry but not me? And then you get engaged although you told me....no, we are not okay, you know why? Because I moved on, I left you behind this last month, I didn´t think about you, I got new friends, I don´t need you anymore! Let´s make a deal, alright? I will talk to you, if necessary, but no phone calls, no texts or written messages of any kind, no movie nights, no inside jokes, no nicknames of any sort! We will behave like acquaintances and nothing more, that´s for the best seeing that you and your team will need to work with everybody in this tower. So yeah, you are right, let´s be mature and move on!“ She finished not wanting for his reply, storming past him into the Tower. 

 

Entering it, she came face to face with all inhabitans. „Great, you are all here! So here a few rules, Firstly of no more stupid rivalry with Reed“ she looked at Tony „Secondly no shooting arrows or any other weapon at any of the Fantastic Four“ looking at Clint „thirdly no stalking, threatening or spying of any kind“ looking at Tasha „fourthly I have no idea what you three“ motioning at Steve, Thor and Bruce „may have in mind but no, no hulking out or playing god or being overly patriotic, and last but not least Bucky, I have no idea what you may plan or think or could do, but no!“ 

Lyra looked at all of them waiting for them to acknowledge her demands as Tony complained

„But Agent Agent hasn´t become any don´ts!“ 

„Don´t worry Tony, Phil will get a whole list of Don´ts in the morning!“ she replied bittersweet.

Everyone left save for Phil, Tony muttering about stupid rules and stupid Reed.

 

„So anything you want to talk about?“ he inquired. 

„No, I had enough talking for a while, I think. Though do you think they will control themselves?“ 

„I think they will try their best, although I don´t think Stark will stop tormenting Reed. You know they don´t mean make you feel bad, it´s just their way of showing their concern!“ 

She shrugged. „I know, of course I know that but I´ve had enough of being treated like I am out of glass and will break at any mention of Storm. Bucky knew about the whole mess before he even met me, the other day Steve told me that there was no newspaper because one article mentioned Storm while Tony had programmed JARVIS to only show me certain articles, he practically censored me! Tasha and Clint avoid any topics which could let me even think about Storm and Bruce sent me a bunch of tea to help with emotional distress.“

Phil winced at that, but didn´t mention that she used his last name to refer to him instead of Johnny. 

„I´ve had enough. I am sick and tired of feeling like I did something wrong, I am over it. And don´t think I haven´t noticed that you don´t use Storm in the battles like you used to. He will be treated the same as Ben or Susan, alright? Can´t you treat me like a civilian girl with a heartache, please?“ 

Phil nodded. „How does one treat normally a heartache? Ice cream, chocolate and loads of stupid horror flicks, where mainly males die?“

„Sounds almost perfect, though can we swap the movies for some sparring with some of your baby agents?“ at his croaked eyebrow she excused herself „I am not a civilian girl after all, I guess!“ she joked. Phil laughed, put his arm around her and led her to their own floor.

 

The next days were mainly quiet, with the exception of an attack from Dr. Doom, forcing the Avengers and the Fantastic Four to work together and the ever present of Bucky and Cassiopeia in the coffeeshop. 

They behaved politely, Tony even going so far to give Reed a small compliment, which was followed by an insult. Reed was too dumdstruck to react anyways. The day after the battle Susan came into the shop, thanking Lyra for doing whatever she did that everybody was working so well together and that her brother was finally a real asset again.

Lyra denied any doing in the affair but Susan didn´t believe her.

 

One day later Johnny came by, ignoring Bucky and her dog, thanking her too, telling her that they should meet up to talk more privately, glancing at Bucky. She didn´t ignore him but served him the same way as any other customer, politely rejecting his offer, claiming that it was against the coffeeshops policy to meet their customer in their private time. Bucky just wached them, not saying one word.

 

Days turned into weeks and then into months and soon christmas was around. Johnny didn´t stop droping by the shop, sometimes trying to have a conversation with her, sometimes only to pick up some coffee to go making puppy eyes at her.

 

Harry and Peter announced that they would visit New York over Christmas until New Years, wanting to make a New Years Party which she had to go to. 

 

Christmas eve was rather uneventful except that Darcy got a gift of her lifetime, catching Tony and Steve kissing under a mistle toe. She even forgave Bucky for not being present, talking the whole evening about how this was a christmas miracle. 

Everybody let her be and nobody had the heart to tell her that Steve and Tony were already dating since November. 

 

Bucky watched every mistle toe being carefully aware of them before walking into any room to avoid to give Darcy another christmas miracle. On christmas morning Lyra walked in on Darcy making Bucky a cup of hot chocolate consoling him about his love lost. The poor guy looked more than horrified and Lyra had to console him afterwards, promising him that Darcy would leave soon.

 

Harry and Peter dragged her shopping with them, telling her everything about London and their college life. Although both tried to behave like a normal couple they couldn´t help but be sickenly sweet to each other making her feel like a third wheel and not regretting her decision to leave London.

 

Shortly before she left for the New Year´s party Tony tried to convince her to stay and enjoy his much better party instead of going to the one of that Oscorp brat. She only laughed and tried to avoid running into Bucky, for he had to endure the evening alone with Darcy with no help of Lyra. 

He complained, as much as a man like Bucky is capable of complaining, to her for days begging her to stay or take him with her. She promised him that Jane and Clint offered to be on Dary duty, for Jane was surely busy with explaining Thor, again, the festivities of New Year´s eve, which ended in heavy make out sessions and that Clint had been seen with Darcy conspiring, letting Bucky fear that Clint may be on Darcy´s side. Tasha and Bruce promised to watch over the trio, clearly bemused by the situation. No one had ever thought that the infamous Winter Soldier was terrified of a girl half his size. 

 

At the party, Lyra met some of the people from France and London, talking happily with them, enjoying being nobody special beside a friend of Harry´s. She should have known that Johnny would attend the party too, being friends with Peter and Harry, but she had hoped, against all odds seemingly, that he would not attend. Also because someone promised he declined their invitation.

 

She excused herself, high in hopes that he didn´t noice her already for he was surrounded with french friends from Harry and escaped to the balcony of the mansion. The balcony was deserted, leaving her the only person on it. She looked inside watching the people dance, laugh and talk to each other and wished she had stayed at the Tower where no Human Torch would have been present.


	4. Chapter 4

Flashback to the year before

„Did you already flee the party?“ She turned around, looking at Johnny standing on the other side of the balcony. 

„Hey, what are you doing here? I thought you celebrated New Year´s with Reed and your sister, getting drunk?“ she said excitingly, walking up to him embracing him in a hug. 

„Yeah, change of plans, I thought why not spent it with the woman I love?“

„Oh, so Angelina Jolie was busy with her husband, if you believe the tabloids, and you thought you come visit plain old me?“ 

„Cruel, how you wound my heart! And here I was bringing you gifts, gracing you with my presence but if you are happy to be alone here“glancing at the party inside „I will leave again.“ 

Lyra gave him a calculating look. „You can leave your presents here though, wouldn´t want you to carry them back!“ she suggested. 

„Sometimes I wonder, why I am friends with someone like you! Everybody believes you to be a gentle soul but here you are cheeky dismissing your best friend! How you fool everybody!“ she laughed at that. Johnny smiled at her.

„So, presents?“ he pulled a bottle of champagne and two glasses from behind his back. She raised an eyebrow. „I hope you realise that I am not allowed to drink alcohol for at least three more years? And that we are at a party with SHIELD Agents, not to forget my family.“

Johnny gave her a look. „Oh, c´mon live a little, it is New Year´s eve and if you can´t do it on New Year´s eve when are you supposed to do it?“ 

Smiling she shook her head. „I think you celebrated already a lot, judging by your misquoting here.“ He shrugged and poured the two glasses, holding one out for her. 

„Christmas, New Year´s it is all the same, just an excuse to drink something“ he said winking at her.

„Let´s toast to the New Year, may the next be even better than this one was!“ He raised his glass. The countdown was heard in the backround. „And may we celebrate the next year the same as this one, with stolen booze freezing our ass of on the balcony, hiding from the world.“ Lyra said raising her glass to meet his.

Johnny looked her into the eyes, a soft smile playing his lips, the last seconds of the year running out. He bent down to her and kissed her softly on her lips, gazing into her eyes, murmuring „Happy New Year“, while the crowd inside cheered loudly, welcoming the New Year. 

She looked at him, shocked, taking a step back. „I...uh...I should get back inside, I am sure they are already looking for me, wanting to wish me a happy new year.“ she turned around, walking fast to the door leading back inside „Happy New Year to you to Johnny“ she said without turning to face him, walking inside.

 

Present

„Sometimes I wonder how you can be the daughter of two superspies while being so unobservant!“ a well known voice said from the dark side of the balcony. 

„Maybe because I am just adopted and I didn´t expect to be watching for potential danger with this place being under heavy secrurity.“ she replied nonchalantly. 

„So where is your bodyguard?“ at her questionly look he elaborated „you know the dark haired grim looking guy always sitting at the coffeeshop watching you, also known as Winter Soldier?“

„Bucky? He isn´t my bodyguard, just a friend.“ 

He walked up to her. „These were the people you partied in europe with? They seem nice enough.“

„Yeah, they are. Are you just here to make polite small talk about the other party goers?“ she asked him.

„You were the one saying you only want polite nondescript talks with me, so here we are, making polite smalltalk!“ 

"Only fair, I guess. How are Susan, Ben and Reed celebrating New Year´s eve?“

„I think they were invited to the Stark New Year´s eve party“ incredulously she looked at him.“Hey, you were the one claiming we all should play nice with each other!“ 

„Yeah, but I would have never thought Tony would invite Reed to a party at his home“ she replied laughing.

„People change, you know!“ 

„No, they don´t. They just adapt, trying to hide themselves behind some farcade. You don´t change yourself just because somebody wants you do, that wouldn´t be fair. Nobody should ever want you to change, what about accepting one for whoever they are?“ 

He stared at her. „You changed, you aren´t the same as you were before, you are...colder“ 

„I didn´t change, Johnny, I just grew up and realised that growing up means hiding some parts of yourself. You have to be cold to survive in this world.“

He shook his head. „Cynical“

„Maybe, anyways I should get back to my date. I am sure he will be looking for me, see you soon!“

She was already near the exit of the balcony, when he started talking again. „It is nearly the same as last year, only this year you aren´t slightly buzzed and we aren´t hiding at the balcony of the tower. However, it is, again, just you and me and the last few minutes before midnight.“

„And look what the year brought me!“ she said bitterly „Happy New Year!“ leaving Johnny behind on the balcony. 

„Yeah, you too.“ he said after her. „I guess it´s the same as last year after all“ he muttered to the empty space.

 

Flashback, the day after New Years, the year before  
Lyra was about to make herself some coffee as the elevator doors opened and Johnny stepped out. 

„Hey there, where is everybody?“ he said looking around in the kitchen, fetching himself a cup of coffee.

„The grown ups partied like they were in their twenties. Especially since Thor brought his asgardian mead to get Steve drunk too. Now they all claim to die, except Bruce and Tasha they are up already, doing their stuff.“

„I guess that means we have to hope that the possible villains have celebrated the New Year as well. Back at home the situation isn´t quite different, just without the asgardian mead.“ 

She gave him a knowing smile. „About yesterday, I“ he was cut off.

“Don´t worry, I know you were drunk and didn´t mean to. Forget about it, I was a little buzzed as well, thanks to Tony and his virgin cocktails“

he looked at her, asking him to agree and forget, and swallowed the lump in his throat. „Yeah, I was about to say the same. I guess I misjudged the impact champagne had on me“ he joked. 

For a short moment he could have sworn he saw regret, but it was swept away by relief and he wasn´t even sure if he really saw it or just hoped to see it.

 

Present

Inside again, everybody was busy finding somebody to kiss at midnight. Lyra looked for her date for about a minute, before she decided that she really didn´t care about him or any of the party anymore. 

Harry and Peter seemed to have vanished as well, making her feel slightly bad about leaving before midnight without telling them. On the other hand, she didn´t want to listen to them complain about her leaving, so she felt also slightly relived.

 

Without a car waiting for her, as she wanted to stay over at Harry´s, she began walking to the nearest subway station. The streets where eerily empty. All of New York seemed to be inside somewhere or at Times Square. Waiting for the subway, she sent a text to Harry, telling him that she went home, so he wouldn´t be concerned about her. It were only five more minutes until midnight, she realised looking at her phone.

 

She arrived at the tower a couple minutes after the ball drop. The party was still going on and she asked JARVIS not to tell anyone that she was back already, wishing him a New Year as well.

 

To her surprise she found Bucky hiding in her floor. He was sitting in front of her tv, eating popcorn, watching some old movie. When he noticed her, he waved at her, not looking up from the movie. 

„What are you doing here?“ she asked sitting down beside him.

„I thought that might be the only room Darcy won´t come looking for, seeing that my room was out of the question for obvious reasons. What are you doing here again so soon? Weren´t you supposed to stay over there?“ 

She shrugged, taking a handful popcorn. „Wasn´t the right company, what are we watching anyways?“

„It´s a classic, or so JARVIS said, Some Like it Hot.“

„Oh I love that movie!“ They sat in silence, laughing at the right moments, enjoying the movie.

 

After it finished, Lyra asked JARVIS to play Gone with the Wind, ignoring Bucky´s protest that even Steve knew the movie, telling him that it was her favorite. 

„So, the company was bad?“ he asked after a while. 

„You could say that.“ she said not minding the intrusion for she knew the movie by heart.

„How did the two of you become friends anyway, I mean Stark hates the Fantastic Four, doesn´t he? Your friendship seems to contratict this“ 

„No, you are right, though he hates only Reed, really, the others he tolerates. It is Tony´s fault, to a certain extent actually.“ she replied, watching the screen as Scarlett pouted at the fundraiser not being allowed to dance. „He was the reason my being was exposed to the public. When I was seventeen, he destroyed something dear to me and as an excuse he promised me some other thing. I didn´t want Pepper to buy me something, so I offered to let him from the hook if he would spent an afternoon with me. Stupid idea, but I only lived in the tower for a little longer than a year and I wanted to get to know him better or maybe see if he was different if you were alone with him. He said yes, surprisingly. Long story short, somebody took a photo of us. The media wondered who I was and Tony go in real trouble, people made allegations that I was Tony´s new girlfriend which made quiet the scene seeing that I was underaged.“ she paused, watching Rhett dancing with Scarlett „So Pepper and Phil made up a story about me being a long lost relative of Tony. Johnny saw me one day at one of their battles against Dr. Doom and began talking to me. At first nobody knew about our friendship, for one the strange relationship of the Avengers and the Fantasitic Four for another Johnny is five years my senior and we thought it would be better not to tell anyone. So Tony is to blame, for he brought me in the eye of the public and made Storm curious who I was. And here we are, 2 years later“ She finished her story. 

„What did your father, I mean uncle say to all of that?“ Bucky asked.

„You can say both, technically I guess I am their daughter seeing that they adopted me, but I am used to call Phil uncle Phil and Clint Clint. Phil never pushed me to call him father or daddy as I could remember my father. Storm is the only one who refers to them as my fathers, everyone else calls them my uncles.“ another pause, Scarlett arrived at Tara. „to get back to your question, they weren´t thrilled but got used to him hanging around the tower. I think him seeing them as my fathers helped a lot, Storm always told me that I may remember my biological father, but that I had my parents right in front of me and that I shouldn´t forget that. He lost his parents too, you know, only had his sister left.“

She focused on the movie again, watching Scarlett rescuing Rhett from prison. 

„A bunch of orphans we all are in this tower, guess you got to loose your parents young to be a hero, except Phil and Thor and me of course, I am no hero. My grandparents died shortly after the accident. Broke their heart, he said.“ 

The rest of the movie was watched in silence.

During the credits, Lyra bid Bucky goodnight, going to bed herself. 

 

New Year´s Day was the same as every year since the moved into the Tower. All the Avengers, except for Bruce, Tasha and now Bucky, were laying scattered around the communal floor as ususal the morning after New Year´s. 

Lyra walked into the floor, not looking shocked at the vision in front of her. She walked up to her uncle and Clint who laid entangled with each other on a narrow couch. Soflty she nuged them, to give them some aspirin and water, ordering them to bed. 

While both of them slowely woke up she found Steve and Tony, also embracing each other, doing the same routine with them. 

„Really, the supervillain who will attack New York at New Year´s Day will be victorious. I wonder why none of them had already thought of that“ she muttered to herself, making Tony exclaim a knowing shriek. 

„Hah, I knew it. You plan with your little friends to be a villain to destroy us all, and nobody believed me, you looked at me like I was crazy!“ 

Lyra looked at him utterly confused while Steve shook his head.

„Don´t mind him Lyra, he is not fully awake yet! We all know you wouldn´t change sides“ 

„Ok-ay, whatever you say Steve.“ she said still confused. 

„No more asgardian mead for any of them“ she murmurmed under her breath, leaving for the kitchen. 

 

To her surprise Bruce was sitting in the kitchen drinking tea, writing something on his tablet.

„Hey Bruce, Happy New Year!“ she greeted him. 

„You too“ he muttered without looking up. 

Lyra sighed and sat down in front of him.

„Bruce!“ she waved her hands in front of him, trying to get his attention. „Earth to Bruce! Anyone listen?“ that seemed to get him out if his concentration. 

„Oh, hello Lyra, Happy New Year! How was the party?“ Bruce said, smiling in excuse.

„Was alright, how was Darcy duty? Why did Tony talk about me and supervillains? Did I miss something?“ she asked him.

At the mention of Tony and villains Bruce got a small pink blush. 

„Don´t worry, that´s only Tony being Tony! Darcy was fine, she lost Bucky but Natasha and Clint found a new couple for her.“ 

„Do I want to know?“ Laughing he shook his head.

„So same old then? That´s good. Did you see any of the others laying around anywhere or were the four the only ones not in their rooms?“

„I think the four were the only ones, the played some drinking game, Clint and Tony at least. Tony wanted to see how drunk Clint can get until he will miss or something like that. I left them after I locked anything dangerous away.“

" Thank you Bruce“ she replied relieved. „I will tell you, New Year´s is no good for the Avengers, you all are lucky that no villain ever decides to attack you on the day after“ he gulped and looked at her, slightly wide eyed. „Okay, not you too. What am I missing here?“

 

„Miss Lyra, Dr. Banner, Mr Barnes and Mr Storm are on their way to you!“ JARVIS told them. 

Bruce looked at her questionly, she shrugged her shoulder at him. Both men entered the kitchen, earning a greeting from Bruce. 

„Morning Bucky, Johnny, do what do we owe your presence?“ she asked them. 

„He said he is looking for his sister, her husband and their friend!“ Bucky answered.

Lyra looked at Bruce „Didn´t they go home last night? I didn´t see them, you Bruce?“ 

Bruce denied both. „JARVIS, can you tell me where they are?“ She requested from the AI.

„Miss Storm and Dr Reed are at the TV room and Mr Grimm and Miss Lewis are in the playroom!“ was the answer.

Johnny croaked an eyebrow at the mention of the playroom. 

„Not that kind of a playroom, Johnny, get your mind out of the gutter!“ she said irritated. Before she could say anything, Bruce offered to get them, dragging an uncomfortable Bucky behind him. 

 

„Your bodyguard“ 

„Not my bodyguard“

„he is more the silent glaring type of guy! But I think he likes me, the glaring wasn´t as menancing as I remembered from the coffeeshop!“ 

She couldn´t help but smile slightly at that. „Harry wants you to call him, didn´t say why though. You left the party pretty early.“

She got up and made some coffee for the two of them.

„Yeah, wasn´t feeling well and the company wasn´t that great after all!“ she stated, holding a cup of coffee out to him, motioning for him to sit down. 

They sat in silence, drinking their coffee when Clint walked in. Johnny stiffened up a little at that. 

„Happy New Year and good morning, honey, Firebird“ Clint greeted them, hugging Lyra. 

„You are awefully cheery this morning and early too!“ she noted. 

„Yep, won a bet against Stark last night! What is Firebird doing here? How´s your ass, by the way?“ Clint said making himself some coffee.

Johnny made a sour face. „My ass is great, thanks for asking. I am looking for my sister and the others“ 

Clint nodded in acknowledgement. „I think Darcy was running around with your friend, trying to set him up with Bruce or more precisely the Hulk“

Johnny and Lyra looked in surprise at Clint, nearly choking on their coffee „What?!“ 

„I think Clint is right, after Mr Barnes has sucessfully escaped her, she moved on to her next target. Good morning Lyra, Mr Storm!“ Phil said, entering the kitchen, giving Johnny a nod, followed by Steve and Tony, making a beeline to the coffee pot. 

„Hey Firebird is here! Wait, what is Firebird doing here?“ Tony exclaimed somewhat confused.“Is he in on the supervillain plan?“ he asked, not very discreetly, Steve, who rolled his eyes.

Johnny looked puzzled at Lyra who shook her head at him. Clint smiled to himself and even Phil´s lips twitched a little. 

 

Bruce and Bucky joined them in that moment, having the rest of the Fantastic Four in tow and a very sleepy Darcy, who muttered „coffee“ before laying her head atop the table, not that the others looked any better. Steve, ever the gentleman put a coffee in front of her. Drinking the coffee like it was sent from heaven, Darcy put her cup down, smiling at all of them. 

„Great party, Stark!“ she added. 

Darcy looked around the kitchen, finding Bucky who tried to make himself seem smaller and unobtrusive. Before she could say something Lyra cut her off.

„Darcy, stop being such a Becky! Don´t harrass Bucky the whole time! Because of you the poor lad had to watch Gone with the Wind with me, the whole movie!“ Lyra told her, regretting saying it in that instead.

It was a known fact that Lyra loved the movie but didn´t really force them to watch the whole movie with her only the first half or the second one, except Steve who seemed to enjoy watching it, reminding him of his past or when she was feeling particularly down. 

Johnny stiffened even more when most of the kitchen turned to glare at him, besides of Bucky, who didn´t know this and Clint who spoke directly to Lyra. 

„I thought you went to Harry´s party?“ 

„Yeah, wasn´t feeling it and wasn´t really my crowd, you know.“ 

 

The mood suddenly got very tense. Johnny took this as his cue to suggest leaving the Tower, the others following him willingly, leaving Lyra in the kitchen with a few Avengers and Darcy.

Looking down on her nearly empty coffee cup she could clearly see emotions written on their faces.

„Cassiopeia needs a walk and I should call Harry, see you later!“ she said standing up, nearly running out of the kitchen.

 

At her room she grabbed her phone and the leash for her dog, calling her and left the tower in direction of the park.

Feeling like her mind might explode she began talking to her dog, not caring that she looked like a maniac talking to herself. She nearly jumped out of her skin when somebody touched her from behind, shrieking, causing Cassiopeia, the worst guard dog ever, to bark hysterically.

The moment the both realised that it was only Tasha, they calmed down. 

„You nearly scared me to death, Tasha“ Lyra said as she reached down to pet Cassiopeia and to calm her down. 

„You should be more observant of your surrounding, then I would not been able to scare you. And your dog is worse than you.“ Natasha deadpanned. 

„Hey, Cassi was listening to me! She didn´t think a superspy would want to scare us! And it´s not like the park is full with people“ She motioned around the near empty park. 

„You have to stop!“ 

„Stop what exactly? I really could use a hint here“

Tasha glared at her. „Yeah, the silent comunicating is still not my forte, you know, I still can´t understand how you and Clint do that and that Phil isn´t freaked out by it“

Tasha smiled slightly at her, letting her guard down a little bit. „The pining, darling. Stop or do something about it!“

„I am not pining!“Lyra said outraged. At Tasha´s don´t-lie-to-yourself-look she crumpled. „Maybe, but I will stop with it. Move on. Leave it all behind.“ Lyra said walking beside Tasha who made a sound in agreement though she clearly didn´t mean it. 

„I fell in love. Once. I was younger than you and he was always looking out for me. He died.“

Lyra stayed silent, knowing that that would be everything ever said on the matter. They walked side by side for a while in comfortable silence. 

„Love is for children, child.“ 

„I am not in love, Tasha.“ 

Natasha shook her head. „Don´t end up like the heroine of your movie, Lyra, tomorrow isn´t another day!“ With that she walked away. 

„I am not in love, Cassi you know that right?“ Her dog barked happily. „Good girl“


	5. Chapter 5

Lyra walked around the park for a while, called Harry, promised to meet him and avoided thinking about the tower or walking back to it. She stopped by a coffeeshop, sitting down inside it, feeding her dog with small pieces of cake. She looked outside the shop watching people pass by, letting the time pass. Her phone vibrated indicating a new text. 

Without looking at it, she put it away, knowing for sure that Tasha would tell the others not to worry. 

When the barista behind the counter gave her longer looks, she knew it was time to move on. 

 

Mindlessly she began walking. At the entrance to Johnny´s building she looked at Cassiopeia. 

„Really Cassie? I thought you believed me!“ Shaking her head she walked inside. Thankfully the doorman still recognised her and let her up to the flat of the Fantastic Four without announcing her.

In front of their door she took a deep breath before knocking.

 

Reed opened the door, looking baffled at her, beginning to speak befor she could even utter a word. 

„Does Stark send you? I told him already I didn´t look at any of his plans and I have no intention to help you and your little friends start a evil villains league, no offense!“ he said rapidly at her.

„Non taken?“ she said insecurely, when suddenly a woman in only a towel and Susan appeared behind him.

„Lyra, what are you doing here?“ Susan asked her. 

Shell shocked she couldn´t stop looking at the half nude woman. 

„ I am sorry. This was a mistake“ she stuttered, taking a step back, walking away from the flat. 

Cursing herself under her breath, walking fast to the elevator and praying to God that for once it would be right up, rescuing from feeling even more humilated. Tears welled in her eyes. She heard somebody calling her name but didn´t turn around, instead she pressed the button for the elevator again. 

 

Suddenly she was lifted of her feet, letting Cassiopeia´s leash fall to the floor and was thrown over Johnny´s back.

„Johnny let me down right now!“ she yelled at him. 

„No“ 

„You can´t just...Cassie bite him! Bite Cassiopeia!“ 

Her dog looked at her her tail wagging happily behind her jumping up Johnny´s foot wanting to be petted by him. 

„Bad dog Cassi, don´t lick his hand you should bite him, he is a bad person!“ she ordered her dog. „Traitor, Tasha was right you are useless“ Cassiopeia only barked happily. Johnny had the guts to laugh at that. 

„Johnny let me down!“ 

„Nope“ 

„Your neighboors will think you kidnap innocent girls, think of the media“ she tried negotiating.

„Don´t care!“ was the only answer she got. 

 

Finally they reached his flat again, though he didn´t put her down. Susan, Reed, Ben and the woman in the towel looked at her. She gave them a small wave, surrendering to her fate.

In his room, after locking the door, he let her down. Lyra glared at him, standing as far as possible away from him.

„What brings you to our flat?“

„I didn´t come here, I was dragged in here by some maniac“she spat.

„Oh no, you came here on your own, you just needed a push coming in!“ he said grinning at her. 

„A push? You threw me over your back and carried me inside! That´s not a push!“ she snapped angrily. "Let me leave!“ 

„Nope, you came here, and I want to know why you came!“

„Maybe you should ask your little girlfriend out there“ she began only to be cut off 

„Who are you talking about?“ 

Lyra glared at him. „The blonde girl with the great legs which is half nude in your flat!“ she told him. 

„Debbie? Ben´s girlfriend?“ He looked at her incredulously. 

„Ben´s girlfriend?“ she repeated. „That´s Debbie? The one you told me about?“

„Yes“ he said slowely like he was talking to a child 

„Oh...oh....but...I mean not that Ben isn´t“

„Are we really going to talk about Ben and Debbie right now?“ Johnny noted, clearly bemused. 

„No, of course not.“

„So why are you here?“ he asked all serious again. 

„Someone once told me that if you can´t do it New Year´s you won´t do it ever and I am here“ she took a deep breath „I am sorry!“

He walked up to her.

„I am sorry for cutting you off and not listening to you trying to apologise!“ 

Johnny stood in front of her, taking her hand into his, gazing into her eyes.

„I got to say, I think you misquoted a great deal here!“ he responded, grinning at her. „For the record, I am sorry too, for the whole summer actually and the engagement thing, though that wasn´t really my fault. But I thought...I was hurt and hurt you too, I am sorry for that“ 

She smiled at him. „I think I will forgive you. And I am to blame too, and Harry for his stupid idea!“ 

„Yeah, let´s blame Harry!“ he said, his lips nearly touching hers, mingeling their breath.

They looked into each others eyes waiting for the other to shy away before, finally, one of them closed the distance, closing their eyes simultanly. 

 

It was a careful kiss, both holding back, not trusting their senses, fearing that it might be just a dream. Just a brush of lips, one could say. Breaking apart, for only a short moment to take a breath, they kissed for a second time. This time harder, opening their mouths, slowly exploring each others mouth. His hands moved away from her hands, up her body holding her closer with the intention of never letting her go again. 

 

Lyra moaned as his hands moved up on her body, pressing their bodies closer together. Slowely he pushed her forward onto the bed. She let him sinking against the matraze, letting his body weight press her onto it, kissing him back, losing count of the kisses they exchanged.

A sudden noise let them spring apart. Dazed they looked first at each other than at the direction the noise came from. It seemed that their movement onto the bed let her fall on the tv controll, putting the tv on. 

Both let out a small relieved laugh. Shyly she looked up from the bed to him.

„We should take this slow“ he said, looking back at her. 

She nodded, grinning slightly wicked at him. „So how do they..I mean really how“ 

Johnny cut her off kissing her again.They broke apart, both breathless „Still thinking about it?“ 

„To be honest, yes!“ she replied laughing, whereas he groaned and let himself fall beside her onto the bed. 

„You will be the death of me. Still wondering why everybody misjudges you as a quiet nice girl!“ 

„Aww, c´mon, you love me!“ she said lightly, stiffening as the implication of what she said caught up with her.

Johnny took one of her hair strains in his hand and looked into her eyes. „Yeah, I love you! You got to live with that!“ 

Lyra let out a breath she didn´t know she held back. „Good, because I think I love you too“ she countered smiling broadly.

Thankfully he didn´t say anything about the I-think-part, instead he kissed her softly.

 

They stayed silent for a while, both facing the ceiling, but holding each others hand, until he broke it with a question. 

„Why did you change your mind?“

„Tasha, she said that I shouldn´t be like Scarlett and let Rhett get away. I think she likes you“ Lyra said turning to face him again.

„I think i owe her now. Maybe I should send her a fruit basket.“ 

„Send her some knives, she will like that more than fruit.“ 

Johnny laughed at that. „My fire warmed her russian heart!“ That made her laugh too. 

 

The sudden barking from Cassiopeia, who stayed with the other members ot the Fantastic Four let them get them up from the bed. 

„Cassiopeia seems to want to go, I should go anyways. I am already gone for the whole day. If I don´t go back to the tower soon, Tony will really think I joined some evil league of supervillains.“ 

„Yeah, what´s all that about anyways? I mean I would join your side in a heartbeat as would your fathers and the Black Widow, I guess your new friend would join you too!“

„As nice as that sounds I don´t think about creating or joining a league of supervillains, I have no idea what Tony is talking about and why he thinks that.“ Lyra motioned to the door.

„Oh I didn´t lock it, you can open it!“ he replied to her motion.

„What?“

„Yeah, you don´t really think I would lock you into a room, I am not suicidal.“ Johnny stated, shaking his head. „I don´t want to be shot. Again!“ 

 

Outside Susan, Ben and Debbie waited for them, smiling like mad. 

„Hi Susan, Ben. I am Lyra by the way“ she held her hand out for Debbie to take it. 

„Debbie, I am Ben´s girlfriend.“ 

An awkward silence followed. 

„I really should go, Cassiopeia come on, we go back home!“ she called for her dog, which came running from the lab from Reed, some blue prints in its mouth.

„Yeah, Cassi we leave that behind. Sorry Susan, she always does that. I think Tony taught her that“ She handed the blueprints awkwardly to Susan, who took them laughing. 

„Don´t worry, Lyra. Oh don´t forget your handbag it fell down when you“ Susan winked at her „entered the flat. Here you go!“

„Thanks, and sorry again.“ 

Johnny took a breath. „Let´s get this awkwardness over! I´ll bring you to the elevator. Say Goodbye to everyone“ he ordered her. 

Smiling she bid her goodbyes, leaving the flat. 

 

Walking to the elevator she couldn´t help herself from laughing. „What´s so funny?“

„Imagine your neighboors, feeling all relieved that you let your kidnapping vicim go“ she spluttered between her laughter.

„Do you think they called the police or worse the media?“ He asked a little panicked, which caused her to nearly break down laughing.

„Tomorrow the latest every tabloid and newspaper will have written about it, if somebody phoned the media“

„Your fathers will kill me, the Black Widow will kill me, I won´t even notice that I am dead“ he said, a little pale. 

„No they won´t. I will explain.“ 

„Yeah the explaination will be unique. Don´t worry Dad, Johnny didn´t kidnap me, he only threw me over his back, seemingly locking me into his room and now we are dating!“

„If you say it like that, it really sounds terrible. It´s a pity too, finally I got the hottest guy from New York.“ Lyra said, kissing him softly on his lips. „I will call you! C´mon Cassi!“ She promised after entering the elevator.

 

In the elevator she checked her mobile. She got three new messages.

One from Phil asking where she was. Another one from Bucky wanting help, claiming that Darcy decided she wanted him for herself and a text from Harry with a link attached with a short message Hope, you have a good explaination! Good Luck! p.s I want details!!

Curious she opened the link to see security footage of her being carried by one Johnny Storm, yelling at him with a dog waging his tail following them. She chuckled but didn´t press play knowing full well how the video ended.


End file.
